Our Safe Haven
by MySelflessLove
Summary: Sometimes being single and free as a bird is not as good as you imagined.


Elena was rolling in the bed not able to fall asleep for hours. Actually it's been a week since she couldn't get rest at nights. The hallucinations had ended a week ago but she still couldn't sleep. This relentless emptiness that hunted her and killed her sleep had nothing to do with hallucinations. This living nightmare was caused by something Elena tried to avoid even in her mind because this feeling was so familiar from summer.

_Break up with Stefan. _She told herself it was because he had broken up with her. She blamed this disturbance on the fact it was her pride not accepting that he had left her and not other way around. Her feelings were still heightened and from annoyance that Stefan never left her mind she would fall into unbearable ache of missing him.

Elena missed him. Stefan and those little things he always did to make her feel… happy and safe. She had heard oh so many girls complaining about those small missing gestures in relationships and Elena would always smile to herself because she had all of that. And right now Elena missed how Stefan used to stay over and they would just lie in the bed until Elena would fall asleep. Stefan stayed whenever she had nightmares so, after she would wake up in horror, he would be there to tell her it was only a bad dream. And sometimes he would stay until she falls asleep and Elena could swear she felt his kiss on her forehead when he left.

In desperation Elena grabbed her phone. Then she dropped it back on her bed and sat up. She couldn't call him. He broke up with her. They had been there before and back then Elena could still call him and he would come no matter in how bad state they would be but now… This was different than their previous breakups. It would be selfish to ask him to come because she knew… she knew that no matter what Stefan would come. And she couldn't call Damon because Damon wasn't type of a guy who would come to hold your hand until you fall asleep. At least that was what Elena told herself to hide that she didn't want to, that she _couldn't_ do this with Damon. It was Stefan's thing. It was _their_ thing.

Annoyed with tiredness, that surprisingly was still there even though she was vampire, Elena slid into jeans and grabbed jumper. She vanished out of window not wanting to disturb Jeremy. At least one of them should have some rest.

She just walked. Alone. In the night. It felt good not to think about where to go but just let your body take you somewhere. Anywhere.

She stopped when she realized her subconsciousness has brought her to waterfall Stefan once showed her when Damon had fed her with his blood afraid she would die in the ritual of breaking Klaus's curse. Elena sighed. She had hoped for place that didn't hold so many memories. But as she climbed up the mountain she knew this is exactly where she needed to be. Her safe haven where she came whenever she missed Stefan, especially during last summer when he had left with Klaus. This was the only place no one else knew, the only place where she could cry and no one would stop her. This place was intimate. Something she and Stefan shared without anyone else stepping in.

Sunrise was not far away so Elena sat on the rock. The same rock she always did when she used to come here. She sat there when rustle of leaves behind her back warned her about someone coming. Elena somehow recognized steps so she slowly only turned her head.

"Um, I... I.."

"…Couldn't fall asleep." Elena finished for Stefan. She let out sigh that was something between laugh and cry. Of course he would also come here.

"Would you mind if I join you?" Stefan asked, his lips curving into smile that didn't fool Elena. In his eyes she saw disappointment that came along with realization Elena was there too.

Elena smiled back knowing she can't fool Stefan either. He sat next to her and they sat for minutes just like that in silence. Elena damned herself for having this bad habit of wanting to break silence and asked him simple yet ridiculous question. "So what have you been doing all this week?" She was sure he had been avoiding her and she had to admit she missed knowing where he is and what he is doing. Elena would always enjoy silence between them because it was never awkward, but there was nothing more calming than Stefan's voice.

"I have been doing some research with Klaus about hunters and consequences this may or may not come for Jeremy. We need him to find cure but I don't want him to get hurt in the process."

"With Klaus? Are you sure it's safe?" Elena demanded feeling a little bit guilty for not caring so much about Jeremy's part than Stefan working with Klaus. She blamed it on her anger that Stefan didn't tell her about it at the beginning. She was still denying this pushy ache that she missed Stefan like hell and that she just wanted to throw herself in his arms and beg for his forgiveness. Elena was stubborn enough not to let her feelings take over her mind.

"Yeah well it's not like he is the best companion but I don't have a choice since my brother is too busy keeping certain bed warm." She flinched. It hurt like hell. Oh his words stung Elena's heart. Stefan never said anything taunt so it hurt Elena even more. And the worst was that Elena couldn't make herself feel angry with him. She tried to be angry but that only brought her closer to being desperate for him.

Elena just wanted to cry and tell Stefan she is so sorry, she wanted to beg him to take her back but something stopped her. Not her pride. No, that she had lost when she flinched. Fear of being rejected was what held her back. "Just so you know no one is warming anything." She wasn't trying to pick a fight nor defend herself. Elena was desperate for Stefan to know that she didn't let Damon stay even though he may have wanted. No, she would just say she is tired and she needs some time alone.

There were moments of silence when Stefan returned same question. "So what have you been doing all week?" Elena did sense a lot of bitterness in his question, it was he like would be asking only because it's polite and not because he would actually want to know. Elena wondered what he might think. That she and Damon jumped right into each other's arms? Would Stefan really think that low of her? A flash of dancing with Damon in that college party filled her mind and Elena knew she has no right to judge Stefan for thinking that low of her. She tried to sweep it off her mind but nothing helped. "Well, nothing much. Damon's been helping me with training... kind of. But nothing more." She sighed. "I kind of miss your training." Stefan turned to look at her and she regretted those words. She didn't want to show her desperation for him but she neither could take it anymore.

She sighed again and this time Stefan didn't let it slip away unnoticed. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just tired.' That wasn't fully a lie. Tiredness that came from all those restless nights hit her again and Elena wished she could just close her eyes and this time fall asleep. And she knew what, more like who could give her that. "Can I just lie here with you for a bit? You know, an old habit of having you around me could hopefully help my insomnia…"

Stefan didn't answer just nodded and Elena let her body fall into his arms. Something about him was so calming that Elena felt so incredibly peaceful the moment she felt his left hand embracing her. He let out sigh. Elena knew that this will leave burning trace of pain after they will have to part but she couldn't force herself to get up.

This was their safe haven and despite the bad state they were right now Stefan and Elena would always help each other. That was just something they did no matter how big the damage would be afterwards.

**A/N This is short one-shot about things I wish would happen on the show. I wrote this from Elena's POV since Stefan's POV would be much more painful and I'm in no state to deal with those feels. But I do have a thought about writing this exact same one-shot from Stefan's POV. Well we will see if that happens. Anyway enjoy this little piece and keep calm because sooner or later Stefan and Elena will find their way back to each other. **


End file.
